We spent the weekend celebrating birthdays, a baptism and enjoyed some beautiful fall weather. Even when you are a stay at home mom, those long weekends are lovely.
Picked up a bushel of apples at the farmers market this weekend
I’m a little tired from all of our party planning this weekend and needed some menu planning reminders. Last year my playgroup did an awesome recipe exchange. I went back to my Recipe email folder to dig out some favorites for our week ahead.
Monday~ C.O.R.N Tuesday~ Chicken Pierre (thanks Susan!) Green Beans and whole wheat couscous Wednesday~ Slow Cooker Ribs, Local Corn on the Cob, Cornbread Thursday~ Hamburgers and Homemade Mac n Cheese with butternut squash hiding inside. (Thanks Cathy!) See recipe below. Friday~ American Flatbread Pizza (freebie from Springboard Conference) Saturday~ potluck dinner with friends, menu still tbd. We are going to process a bushel of apples though…I see lots of applesauce in our future.
Easy Veggie Mac n Cheese (from Cathy M.)
1 cup uncooked macaroni (I do 1/2 cup whole wheat, 1/2 cup regular)
1 cup (or more) shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup milk (you could use skim but whole tastes much better)
pepper and paprika
1/2 cup cauliflower puree or butternut squash puree (optional, make in advance, I prefer cauliflower)
Preheat oven to 350
Drop macaroni in boiling water, boil 3 minutes
Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes then drain
Toss macaroni in a bowl with vegetable puree to evenly distribute puree
Layer in a large casserole dish coated with cooking spray:
1/3 macaroni mixture
1/3 cheese
sprinkle pepper and paprika
1/3, 1/3 again until done
Pour milk over layers and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown on top and milk absorbed so not too runny. Let cool a few minutes before serving.
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Rain, rain, go away. I hope the rain is done for us here. It was a bit gloomy for my taste this weekend. At least we got our neighborhood block party squeezed into the few hours without rain. I made chili and my new favorite apple dish, No Crust Apple Pie.
We started the week off with a delicious pot roast in the slow cooker. Four generations sat at the table together to talk and laugh at the kid’s silliness. Don’t you agree the company is always more important than the food on the table.
Monday~ Leftovers…pot roast was not a huge hit with the kids but the egg noodles were. Need to supplement with some additional protein for them, maybe beans. Peppers from the garden on the side.
Tuesday~ Tacos with lettuce greens and tomatoes from our garden. Spanish rice on the side.
Wednesday~ Chicken nuggets, roasted asparagus and some pasta side.
Friday~ Testing out the Rustic Crust pizza crust I received at the Springboard conference. My friend Nikki already tested it out and it was a winner.
We also had these delicious Pumpkin Gingersnap cookies tonight. Yummy! Plus I made them healthier than the original recipe. I’ll share the revisions in a recipe post later this week.
Have you heard about the October Unprocessed challenge? Head over to Eating Rules to learn a little bit more about it. We are trying to be more mindful of our eating choices when it comes to processed foods. I think the big debate about getting GMO’s labelled on our foods is making me more conscious of when I grab a box of macaroni and cheese or cereal. What’s really inside? Regardless of whether a boxed good is organic or not, it is still processed. I know we can’t commit to 100% processed free, but I am going to focus on breakfast and snacks.
Think you could go processed free? What would be the hardest thing to give up?
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It has been one year since I first started meal planning. What started on paper initially, moved to my chalkboard cabinet and now exists in cyberspace as a post. I’ve made it accessible and flexible, two key components that make meal planning work for our family. The book Plan It, Don’t Panic gave me a bunch of tips to help make meal planning easier, like creating a list of top family favorites. (Think homemade chicken nuggets and the like.) In the coming year, I may try to add some breakfast and lunch items to the menu plan as well. Breakfast usually includes my homemade granola, but I would like to add in a little more variety.
On to this week…my in-laws are visiting from Florida so I had to make some traditional New England favorites.
Sunday~ Beef Stew and Apple Crisp. We went apple picking today and used Jonagold apples.
Monday~ CORN…too much stuff in the fridge. Time to clean out.
Tuesday~ Meatloaf, Roasted Asparagus and Salad.
Wednesday~ Glazed hoisin salmon, sauteed green beans and some grain/pasta side dish. (update~ only one of two kids ate the salmon. Overall it was yummy with a ginger/hoisin/soy sauce glaze.)
Thursday~ Off to Jazz Fest, kids will get salmon leftovers.
Friday~ Blue Ribbon BBQ. (down to the wire on a living social coupon)
Saturday~ BLOCK PARTY!! We divide up the cooking duties by assigning even numbered houses entrees/appetizers/sides and odd numbered houses the desserts. Funny, my husband suggested “we” do both. Funny thing is, we probably will do both. What can I say, who doesn’t love a yummy chili in the slow cooker for a party, followed up by some delicious cookie recipe I find on Pinterest.
What is your favorite meal to make when the weather first gets cool?
My husband and I spent the day today with friends at the Patriots game. It was a beautiful fall day. However, looks can be deceiving. That “fall” sun was rather strong and we all got sunburned. Despite my usual spf 30 face moisturizer, I still got a little toasted. Note to all…keep wearing that sunscreen!
This week is busy with evening events and a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Florida, as the kids refer to them. I’ll also be heading to the new Springboard Blogging Conference over the weekend so I’m trying to get lunch and dinner prepped for my time away.
Parents Magazine Tuscan Vegetable Stew
This is our menu plan for the week ahead. Share your link in the comments below if you have a meal plan, or just write it in the comments.
Tuesday~ Tuscan Vegetable Stew. Found this slow cooker in Parents Magazine. I do need to soak the beans overnight so I’ll go back to the chalkboard and make a note for Monday night. Since this is a meatless (yes, honey) dinner, I’ll grab a nice loaf of bakery bread to go on the side.
Wednesday~ In-laws arrive in the evening so dinner will be in two shifts. I’m going to try reheating our chicken nuggets made last week, along with Alexia sweet potato fries.
Thursday~ Salmon, roasted asparagus and whole wheat couscous.
Friday~ Daddy is going to make pepperoni pizza. Or not. 🙂
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How many of you are in the thick of back to school? For us, it starts this week. In the pre-school world we got a reprieve last week and now it’s show time. Time for open houses, new classrooms, packing lunches and the start of extra curricular activities. Hello schedules.
I’m trying to be mindful of all the activities of the day as I plan my menu for the week. Dance class in the afternoon means there won’t be a lot of prep time for dinner. Morning “mommy and me” class means there won’t be time to get the slow cooker going. You get the idea. Look at your own schedule and highlight a couple of high intensity days where you can plan a slow cooker meal or a leftovers (CORN~ Clean Out Refrigerator Night). Make your menu plan work for you and your schedule. Reevaluate it as things change throughout the season.
Here is what’s on deck this week…
Sunday~ Final birthday dinner of steak on the grill, grilled sweet potatoes and spinach salad. Monday~ Baked Haddock with tomatoes from the garden. Pour some butter, parsley and a little panko breadcrumbs on and bake at 350 for about 30 mins. Tuesday~ Hamburgers and corn on the cob. Trying to keep summer going a little longer! Wednesday~ Baked pasta with garlic and herb pork sausage. I stock up on sausages when there are great sales at Whole Foods. They freeze well and I can make a lot of different dinners with them. I got summer squash at the farmers market so I may sauté those on the side. Thursday~ CORN (Mom’s Night Out) Friday~ Pizza night. Saturday~ Chicken Piccata. One of my husband’s favorites before his 50 miles bike ride the next day. We have a guest this night with a gluten-intolerance so I may try to make the breading with almond flour.
What are your tips for making dinner during the week?
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Oh, my. September. My favorite month of the year. While I love the beach and summertime, there is something special about September. Leaves changing colors, apple picking, and finally I can wear my favorite boots again. Yes, fall is coming.
This week’s meal plan is a little transition into cozy dinners as cooler temps start to arrive. Soups are back, pastas are on the menu and I still need to work in some of our garden harvest.
Monday~ tonight we had the best corn all season. Amazing!
Tuesday~ White Bean, Sausage and Spinach soup
Wednesday~ Spaghetti and meatballs (Madison’s request), sautéed green beans on the side.
Thursday~ Homemade chicken nuggets and sweet potato fries. I’m going to make a bigger batch of this family favorite and freeze some. I’ve never tried it before and I’m curious to see how well they hold up in the freezer for a week (or two!).
Friday~ Pizza night. Going to try and make a pesto pizza with chicken and fresh tomatoes.
Saturday~ Date night for my husband’s birthday!! Send him some birthday wishes 🙂 He is my favorite person to cook for.
Wow, last week of summer. I hope you all have some wonderful plans and not quite into the thick of back to school business. I relooked at my summer bucket list to see if there is anything else I can still check off. There are a couple of food ones that are making an appearance on the menu plan this week.
Grilled Chicken with Whole Wheat Couscous and Peas
Monday~ Grilled lamb. (yes, making an appearance again because my favorite reader forgot to defrost it last week 😉 We will have leftover grilled chicken too from Sunday in case the kids are not into the lamb. First time trying it on Monday! Green peas and whole wheat couscous on the side.
Wednesday~ Pork sausages slow cooked in pasta sauce. Serve with pasta and garden peppers.
Thursday~ CORN. (Daddy is on his own.)
Friday~ Long weekend! Back to the beach. Hoping to eat lobsters one more time at my Dad’s house.
I also have some zucchini to whip into this delicious relish recipe, plus some additional cucumbers to pickle. There are also a pile of herbs I’m planning to dehydrate. I’ve collected some preserve recipes here if you are trying to savor your summer bounty for the long term.
Last thing on the bucket list~homemade ice cream. This recipe looks easy enough and no special equipment needed.
What’s left on your summer bucket list?
Sponsor:Easy. Homemade ebook. Make your own kitchen staples.
I love to hear your feedback and comments. Stop by and visit Facebook, Pinterest orTwitter for more conversation! Or get posts delivered via Email or RSS Feed. For more meal planning ideas, stop by Meal Plan Monday. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Easy. Homemade.
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Happy Monday everyone! As I prepare my meal plan for the week, I’m also shopping for my groceries. In my pajamas. How many of you do your food shopping online? I tend to do it about once a month when I need to restock some basics, or there are lots of great deals at my local store. Then I can fill in with quick trips to the farmers market or Trader Joe’s. I showed my grandmother my high tech meal planning/online grocery shopping strategy. She did me one better and said she did meal planning for her family of ten because they only had one car. Wow.
Here is what’s on deck this week…
Corn Chowchow by Johnny Autry via Cooking Light
Monday~ Chicken Tostadas and Homemade Salsa
Tuesday~ away, but preparing to bake cookies, a breakfast casserole and lots of healthy beach snacks for a little trip.
Wednesday~ Grilled lamb (loin, I think?) with mushroom and zucchini kebabs. I got the lamb at the farmers market and I was told it is great on the grill with just a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
Thursday~ Corn chowchow. Pasta with homemade pesto. {meatless}
Friday~ Pizza night with whatever is growing in the garden.
Chicken Tostadas via Cooking Light
This past week I’ve been reading the new ebook Easy. Homemade from Mandi Ehman at Life Your Way. I’m a big fan of making your own pantry staples and this is a really easy reference guide. Mandi is not a foodie at heart, but she wants to keep the junk out of her family’s diet. The recipes are easy to understand, generally small batch (like a refrigerator pickle recipe for just one pickle!) and will save you money in the long run.
The book is on sale till Tues Aug 21st for just $0.99. After that, it’s still a great deal at $3.99. Same as a bottle of barbecue sauce… Check out the book and let me know what recipe is your favorite one to test out!
I love to hear your feedback and comments. Stop by and visit Facebook, Pinterest orTwitter for more conversation! Or get posts delivered via Email or RSS Feed. Thanks! For more meal planning ideas, stop by Meal Plan Monday. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Easy. Homemade.
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Is it too hot to cook where you are? I find myself losing motivation to stay in my kitchen when it hovers above 90 degrees. Short of eating ice cream for dinner, what can we do? My plan is to mix up the routine a little this week. We are planning to try out some new items on the grill, including baby eggplant from the garden and also fresh peaches. There is also a Monday night date night planned to totally throw off the routine.
Sunday~ Grilled swordfish, local corn and baby eggplant on the grill. I learned at the farmers market it has been a very good season for eggplant so I plan to grab a few out of the garden and grill them with a little olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Monday~ Date night! Kids will get hot dots and raw veggies. Tuesday~ Away, but my husband will make do with leftovers/CORN and the goods from the garden. Wednesday~ Away, eggs for my husband. Thursday~ Hamburgers, corn and homemade coleslaw for everyone but me. Off to a girls night! Friday~ Pizza night and grilled peaches for dessert.
Baby eggplant on it’s way to the grill
This week in the kitchen we plan to can relish, more pickles (6 quarts done!), and salsa. The plum tomatoes are turning red and we have jalapeño peppers coming out of our ears. Just need some fresh cilantro and we will be good to go.
I have tons of sweet cherry tomatoes piling up too. Despite my best efforts, my kids still won’t eat them. I’m in search of the best way to preserve them. Can or freeze? I feel like this is my year of trial and error with the garden when it comes to maximizing what we grew. I’m tempted to try both canning and freezing to get a sense of the best way to maximize the fresh flavor. Sounds like I have post to write come January…
Are you preserving anything this season?
I love to hear your feedback and comments. Stop by and visit Facebook, Pinterest orTwitter for more conversation! Or get posts delivered via Email or RSS Feed. Thanks! For more meal planning ideas, stop by Meal Plan Monday.
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I am so excited to start working on my meal plans again. They are a key way to organize my week, my grocery list, and my family is on the same page. Taking a month off from meal planning was perfect. It gave me a little more time to find some new recipes and realize how much I need this in my life.
I’m in Whole Foods withdrawl so my meal plan is structured around their sale items. There are no Whole Foods near Gloucester so I haven’t been in six weeks. I am totally out of their amazing fresh, ground peanut butter so I will be heading there tomorrow.
Monday~ American Chop Suey. (Fancy way of saying ground beef, pasta and veggies.) Tuesday~ Grilled sweet sausages, corn on the cob and salad from the garden. Wednesday~ Baked eggplant using the first eggplant I have ever grown. Quinoa salad on the side. Thursday~ Spicy salmon steaks with black bean and corn. Friday~ Pizza night. We have tons of sweet peppers and they are perfect for our homemade pizza night.
I also have some new breakfast recipes I plan to test out. The first is this easy overnight oatmeal recipe. I am partly attracted to it because of the mason jar presentation. How beautiful! Plus I’ll test out some oatmeal-on-the-go, which may either become breakfast or a snack.
Thanks for sticking around during my blog break in July. After spending time with my family, and also attending the Blogher Conference, I feel even more connected to this blog and sharing healthy living stories with all of you.
What are you making this week?
I love to hear your feedback and comments. Stop by and visit Facebook, Pinterest orTwitter for more conversation! Or get posts delivered via Email or RSS Feed. Thanks! For more meal planning ideas, stop by Meal Plan Monday.
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